Exploring Nature Part 1

Today is the first of a two-part look at the Exploring Nature Scrapbooking Workshop Kit from Stampin' Up!  I LOVE their kits!  They make creating scrapbook layouts so much faster, and I am enjoying seeing how I can adapt them to suit my own photos EVEN BETTER!  You can see a video presentation of what was in the kit, the coordinating products I purchased (because I love this kit so much I want to make a LOT of additional coordinating pages), and how I adapted the first layout here:

Here's a closer look at the layout and what I did to add 5 MORE photos to the layout - including a panorama!

Finished Layout: 

 

 

Finished Layout with Flip Flaps open:

 

A Closer Look - LEFT PAGE: 

One of the big changes I made to this layout was to swap out the Pretty Peacock and Lost Lagoon colored patterned paper, that was meant to go on the wide stripe across both pages, for the Pecan Pie "writing" print instead.  This was simply because I thought it went with my photos better, and I knew I could use the original paper on the 2nd layout - which called for the writing paper - OR use something from the coordinating cardstock or DSP that I had also purchased.  

I also replaced some of the pieces directly below the photos - though still added that journaling piece - with Pretty Peacock cardstock (the dark side this time).  I simply cut them using the original pieces as a pattern.  Again, this was because I thought it went better with my photos, and I knew I could use the other pieces on one of the additional layouts I planned to make after I was done with this kit.

There are also a couple of extra pieces on this first page - the two circles - that were designed to go on other layouts, but wouldn't fit with the photos I planned for them, and DID fit here.  I also added the panorama photo toward the bottom of the page, and a couple more photos in a flip flap.

A Closer look - RIGHT PAGE: 

I chose to blend in a bit of ink on the left side of the writing DSP strip so it would look better beside the other one - the way the printed paper was originally, it was a bit too light in color to look good beside the strip on the left page.  

 

I again made use of the Pretty Peacock cardstock - even used it with a printed journaling block to replace the punch out journaling piece.

 

I added a bit of extra journaling at the top of the page, and modified the placement of some of the other pieces.

 

SO, much is the same as the original plan, and some is not, but all works together nicely to support the pictures and story.